Something to Put Under My Nose

Perfume is making me ill (nausea, headache, dizziness). Some of my customers at work wear too much perfume. It's flowery perfume that I am most sensitive too. I was wondering if anyone has ever heard of something that a person can put under their nose to cancel out smells? I am thinking like maybe something they use in Crime Scene Investigation would be helpful. Perhaps a salve under their nose that is usually used to block the smell of dead bodies would work?

I don't like strong perfume either, I feel like I am choking and lacking oxygen. I also get head achy as well and makes me feel irritable. I tend to use cream perfume, just a tiny bit. It is much softer and gentler on the senses.

I don't think there is anything you can do about it except perhaps buy a high powered fan and when the customer is gone, blow the smell all out the door

I never found anything easy when I was in that stage of reacting to many things including perfumes.

There may be a help, though. I discovered that the things that were making me nauseous, headachey, and dizzy were doing so because they were making my BP drop and my HR accelerate to try to compensate. My doc said that is like going into anaphylatic shock and was probably caused by excessive vasodilation. She gave me an epipen to use when it happened. She also said if it wasn't too bad I could take a double dose of Sudafed (for it's vasoconstricting properties) instead as long as I could get away from the offending substance. You might want to check your BP and HR when you encounter this perfume and see if you're having the same problem.

I've never actually used the epipen because I now feel empowered to tell people that their perfume, cough drop, or whatever was causing me serious health problems and I will have to leave and/or use my epipen to avoid going into shock. Most people don't want to be responsible for that and will avoid vasodilators around me.

I do try not to be too obnoxious about it. For example, in a public place I'll move rather than ask someone else to. It is my health problem after all, not theirs. If I have to be around them or they're coming in my house -- my students, for example -- I just tell them I'm severely allergic to certain things and they should avoid them around me or learn to use my epipen on me in case I pass out before I can stick myself.

Multiple entire classrooms of college students avoided Vick's VapoRub, Hall's cough drops, and other such offenders rather than stick me with an epipen.

If it's any consolation, as I've gotten better the vasodilation problem has become much less. Nowadays I only fuss about potent vasodilators like Vick's.

Yes, I agree SOC, I wouldn't be slow in coming forward about telling someone their perfume is too strong for me. Some people have no idea that they are putting on too much perfume or that it can affect others health. I would probably say "oh, gosh your perfume is a bit too strong for me, it does smell nice but it's triggers very bad inflammation for me. If you will just excuse me, I cannot be too close to you" I would have a slight smile as I say it and say it in a nice voice

Multiple entire classrooms of college students avoided Vick's VapoRub, Hall's cough drops, and other such offenders rather than stick me with an epipen.

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We would have made quite the pair then because for the last year I was working, the only thing that got me through the day was Tiger Balm. I was having daily, horrifying migraines at that point and the Tiger Balm was the only thing that worked to relieve them. I'm sure my office just reeked because that stuff just can't be contained. I can't even stand the smell of it any more because it reminds me too much of that awful time.

I had no idea it was a vasodilator. Surprises me a little bit because I thought migraines typically were relieved more by vasoconstrictors. Leave it to me to get it backwards.

We would have made quite the pair then because for the last year I was working, the only thing that got me through the day was Tiger Balm. I was having daily, horrifying migraines at that point and the Tiger Balm was the only thing that worked to relieve them. I'm sure my office just reeked because that stuff just can't be contained. I can't even stand the smell of it any more because it reminds me too much of that awful time.

I had no idea it was a vasodilator. Surprises me a little bit because I thought migraines typically were relieved more by vasoconstrictors. Leave it to me to get it backwards.

Ema

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I can just imagine! Every time you got within smelling distance, I'd be running in the other direction!

It is kinda surprising that Tiger Balm helped your migraines. Of course, you've got ME/CFS so is it really surprising that things are all back-asswards?

Camphor is a potent vasodilator, so bad news for lots of people with low BP or low blood volume. Nobody tells us that, though. Tea tree oil (aka melaleuca oil) is another vasodilator that can cause problems but lots of people use it because it's "safe" and "natural". For them, maybe. For lots of us with ME/CFS, it's a serious problem.

Camphor is a potent vasodilator, so bad news for lots of people with low BP or low blood volume. Nobody tells us that, though. Tea tree oil (aka melaleuca oil) is another vasodilator that can cause problems but lots of people use it because it's "safe" and "natural". For them, maybe. For lots of us with ME/CFS, it's a serious problem.

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ah thanks a lot for sharing that SOC. I get very ill with camphor and didnt know that.
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For me my perfume reactions are not at all due to the smell but rather the actual chemicals which from that smell or the perfume is giving off.. hence another scent wouldnt help it. Some people use like gas masks and that to stop this kind of issue

ah thanks a lot for sharing that SOC. I get very ill with camphor and didnt know that.
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For me my perfume reactions are not at all due to the smell but rather the actual chemicals which from that smell or the perfume is giving off.. hence another scent wouldnt help it. Some people use like gas masks and that to stop this kind of issue

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Same here, tania. I suspect that's true for most people who can't tolerate perfumes. It's more likely the carriers than the actual fragrance (although some essential oils can also be a problem). Quite a few "natural" cleaning products, as well as more traditional ones, have vasodilators like tea tree oil in them.

Other common vasodilators are menthol and eucalyptus. There are plenty of others, and some of them are in perfumes. Marijuana, by the way, is also a vasodilator, so also worth avoiding by people with low blood volume.

There is a product - sorry don't know the name - its a sort of bee's wax that you rub gently inside your nose, it is basically for hay fever sufferers, blocks the pollen but maybe would help to block the chemical smell at least in the part you can apply the stuff to. I have thought about using it myself - bad MCS is s nightmare.... but basically I don't see many people and don't go out much so its not a major problem for me.
Must be awful for you I really sympathise. Of course its not practicable to ask people not to wear perfume normally. My friend came to my house wearing perfume and it was a choice either to wash it off or leave - it was so embarrasing. She washed it off ( I could still smell it faintly but really appreciated the gesture)